Kate Middleton in a New Needle & Thread Dress Is Stunning at UK-Africa Summit

Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge Visit Northern Ireland - Day One

(Image credit: Max Mumby/Indigo)

published 21 January 2020

At Buckingham Palace this evening, Kate Middleton and Prince William are hosting a summit.
Kate wore a Needle & Thread dress that's red, sparkly, and utterly gorgeous. She and William looked calm and relaxed despite crazy family drama.
ICYMI, here's the latest on that.

With the Princess Royal and the Earl and Countess of Wessex, Kate Middleton and Prince William just arrived for the UK-Africa Investment Summit Reception at Buckingham Palace. And it looks like Kate's in a new outfit—and I love it. So sparkly! You can see every angle of the dress here and a couple shots below.

Aurora Gown Needle and Thread

The gown is Needle & Thread—I am not sure if any alterations were made, but it looks to be their cherry-red Aurora gown. She loves the color and looks amazing in it, natch. She's also worn Needle & Thread before.

Aurora Mini Dress Needle & Thread

She completed the look in matching pointed-heel pumps and a small clutch. It would be easy for the look to be bridesmaid-y, but it looks like they're juuust a shade darker. It's monochromatic without being twee (which is something Kate excels at, TBH).

Interestingly, Sophie Wessex is also at the same event wearing red. Twinsies? Twinsies! Sophie's is simpler and less sparkly, so I doubt it'll be, like, a thing, if you know what I mean.

Kate and William probably won't be discussing the ongoing family drama, but there's a report that the two brothers engaged in "secret" talks that helped repair the rift that had developed between them. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle aren't there, but despite what tabloids may suggest, this might not be a huge deal. William and Kate look a little stressed but ok! And William just mentioned Harry in his speech, albeit just in passing.

Here's the dress thanks to a shot of it by The Royal Family:

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, on behalf of Her Majesty The Queen, hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace to mark the UK-Africa Investment Summit #InvestinAfrica 🇬🇧🌍 pic.twitter.com/jlmDFJaRXYJanuary 20, 2020

Here's a shot of the gown in motion:

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at tonight’s UK-Africa Summit - Kate in a dress by Needle and Thread pic.twitter.com/NB5K8nrkT1January 20, 2020

I love it so much.

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Katherine’s a contributing syndications editor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle. In her role, she writes stories that are syndicated by MSN and other outlets. She’s been a full-time freelancer for over a decade and has had roles with Cosmopolitan (where she covered lifestyle, culture, and fashion SEO content) and Bustle (where she was their movies and culture writer). She has bylines in New York Times, Parents, InStyle, Refinery29, and elsewhere. Her work has also been syndicated by ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, Seventeen, Good Housekeeping, and Women’s Health, among others. In addition to her stories reaching millions of readers, content she's written and edited has qualified for a Bell Ringer Award and received a Communicator Award.

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